Join The Conversation

All posts by Public Welfare

John Legend, the nine-time Grammy Award winner, and Oscar winner, has taken up the cause of criminal and juvenile justice reform. He is speaking out against mass incarceration and overly harsh sentences for adults and young people.

“We have a serious problem with incarceration in this country,” Legend has said. “It’s destroying families, it’s destroying communities and we’re the most incarcerated country in the world.”

Singer John Legend called for less punishment for crime and more crime prevention in his address at the “Survivors Speak” conference on Monday. Legend spoke about the need to invest in education and a system that gives kids opportunities, instead of turning them over to the police.

John Legend visited a Texas prison on Thursday, April 16, 2015, to promote his ‘Free America’ campaign. The ‘All of Me’ star, performed a few songs at the Travis County Correctional Complex, following a press conference at the Senate chamber. During the conference, the 36-year-old star urged the state government to consider revamping their current correction system….

He added previously: ”We have a serious problem with incarceration in this country. It’s destroying families, it’s destroying communities and we’re the most incarcerated country in the world, and when you look deeper and look at the reasons we got to this place.

”We as a society made some choices politically and legislatively, culturally to deal with poverty, deal with mental illness in a certain way and that way usually involves using incarceration.”

Other measures being debated this session that could affect the criminal justice system include raising the age at which teens can be criminally charged as adults and reducing penalties for marijuana possession. Before meeting with lawmakers, Legend toured the Travis County Correctional Complex to talk with inmates and the sheriff.

“I was happy to learn that the sheriff is now allowing face-to-face visitation,” Legend said. “Human contact with family is so important to the rehabilitation and healing that our inmates need.” And while the musician didn’t sing any of his award-winning songs, one was referenced. “The glory will truly will come when we get these bills passed,” Sen. Rodney Ellis said.

Singer John Legend is known for lending his voice to social issues and for his latest, he’s trying to tackle mass incarceration. The Ohio-bred crooner has launched a campaign to address the criminal justice system. “We have a serious problem with incarceration in this country,” he said during a recent interview.